Page 176 of Beautifully Ruined

They’re not going to waste female flesh.

More likely, I’ll end up for sale or one of the girls used and abused in the rooms that Macy says she and the others never go into.

A fate worse than death.

My vision wavers, and my chest goes tight. It’s got nothing to do with the drugs and everything to do with the panic of my situation.

I sit, butt hitting the ground hard. And I shiver in the cold and from the fear.

“At least…” I breathe in. “At least I hope Cade has what he needs.”

For comfort it isn’t much, but it’ll do.

A soft groan grabs me, and I turn to Gianna.

“Gianna?” I ask anxiously. “Gianna, are you okay?”

The girl groans again and sits up, like a new-born lamb, trying to find its legs. “My head….”

She looks around, then it seems to register someone spoke to her, and she whips around to me, her arms almost giving way. Her gaze hits me, and her eyes widen. “Who are you?”

“I’m Violet. We met…sort of…”

“You’re bleeding.”

I glance down. It’s not much, more of a burn from the rope, but there’s blood where I broke through the skin trying to get free.

“I’m fine. We spoke,” I say gently. “A few weeks ago. You were in the cell next to me. Ivan?”

Her lip trembles. “I never knew the man’s name. Just that he was Russian. I was so drugged up. I…” She looks at me. “That was you?”

I nod.

And Gianna bursts into tears. “Did they keep hold of you, too?”

“No. I got rescued. I came back to get you, but they’d taken you. I told you I’d come for you if I got out, and I didn’t rest until I found out who you were. Gianna Walsh, right?”

“You…came back for me?”

I touch her arm. “I’ve been looking for you.”

“Why?”

“Because I promised you.” I gently squeeze her arm. “It didn’t matter if you heard me or not, I wasn’t about to not find you. And it’s not just me. There’s a team.”

She stares at me, starting to shake. “Are you a cop?”

“No, just another girl with a great boyfriend who has a certain skillset.”

Gianna nods, sniffling, as she crawls up to rest her back on the wall next to me. She’s still crying, silently, and it hurts my heart. She’s been alone so long. And her father…

I shudder.

He must know she’s here. He was the last person I spoke to…the person I was speaking to when I got knocked out by that drug. So… God. What a monster.

One so perfectly hidden in plain sight that he even fooled me until Cade uncovered the truth.

“I’m just used to everyone lying to me. They drug me, tell me if I’m good I can go free, but it’s all a lie.”